Bringer of comfort
by sweetheart2014
Summary: A blessing from a maiden. A thank you for listening. A child born from comfort.


Flames shoot up into the sky drawing looks from campers but hiding me from view. I stand alone poking the wood, urging the fire to stay alive. No one knows about the goddess in the form of an eight year old girl, no one cares. I watch a young girl, unclaimed, walk back to the Hermes cabin. No one can know she is my daughter. I swore to remain a maiden goddess and I did not break that oath, however she would still be in the Hermes cabin even if I did claim her. It's better to let them believe she is a daughter of Hephaestus because of the heat coming off her skin. He knows about her. Hephaestus knew about my child he knew how I didn't break my oath.

_-FLASHBACK-_

_ A man stared into my hearth in a cottage on a cold winter night. I was alone and it looked like he was too. Should I talk to him? Should I comfort him? I took a breath and stepped out of the hearth._

"_What is wrong?" I asked him quietly._

"_My name is Damon Brandonson,"he introduced, ignoring my question._

"_I am Hestia. What is wrong?"I questioned again._

"_I found out this morning that my wife can't have children. We both want a family and this is putting stress on our marriage because she won't accept it. What about you?"He explained. Was that concern in his voice? For someone he just met? When he has so many problems of his own?_

"_I am alone. People see me but they don't think anything of me. I try to offer comfort but I guess I try to ignore that sometimes I need comfort too."I told him._

"_All good people are like that. They do so much for others but never give themselves a second thought." he replied._

"_Your wife will accept it soon. The home is a woman's dream. Some just don't realize that you don't need children to have a home and family. Not all women want a family so they abandon a child in need. Sadly that is the best a woman can do if she doesn't want a child. Some beat and even kill the child because they don't want to own up to their choices. They never give a second thought to people like your wife who want a child but can't have one."I said as a tear slid down my cheek. His wife came in so I quickly said goodbye and slid back into the hearth. I went to see the only god who understood me. Hephaestus._

_I appeared behind him in his forge and walked around the table into his line of sight. _

"_Hello Hephaestus," I said sadly. The conversation with Damon played back in my head._

"_Hello Hestia. What's wrong?"He asked looking up and seeing my tear-stained face._

"_I met a man. He comforted me. His wife can't have children and his home might fall apart because they desperately want a family."I explained._

"_Maybe you could bless them with a child. Like Athena does with men she favors. Her kids are born from thoughts not sex. You could bless them with a child born from the comfort he offered you." He suggested coming back in with hot chocolate. Not many people know it but we can all do that in different ways (Athena through thoughts, me through comfort, etc)._

"_You think I should?"I asked. I knew he had a little girl blessed on a family who helped as many as they could even at the risk of their own health._

"_It's up to you." He replied dropping the subject._

"_So how is your little girl?"I questioned. _

"_She's great. Helps her family help people. Granted she really just cheers them up but it makes a difference to them." he smiled. People think that just because he's disfigured he's ugly but he's really handsome especially when he smiles. We talked for a while longer before I left so he could get back to work._

_ I laid in my bed on Olympus and thought about tonight my conversations with Damon and Hephaestus. I focused on what Damon and his wife deserved. A beautiful little girl or a mischievous little boy. Family dinners, trips to the park, someone to comfort when they're sick. I thought about the way Damon comforted me and picture him comforting a child while his wife bandaged a cut knee. A baby girl appeared next to me on the bed. She had features from Damon, his wife and me. I moved to my desk and began writing a letter._

_**Dear Brandonsons,**_

_**My name is Hestia, goddess of the hearth. I bless this little girl to you as a thank you for comforting me. I imagine she will be a demi god so she will have ADHD and dyslexia but I have no doubt in mind you'll love her anyway. Remember you can always find comfort in the hearth whether it is from emotional pain or the cold.**_

_** Sincerely,**_

_** Hestia**_

_I appeared in their hearth long after dark, the clock said 11:56. I laid her down in front of the hearth a safe distance from the flames and put the note on the coffee table. The clock struck midnight as I disappeared back into the flames._

_I watched over her until the next morning when her new parents woke up. I saw the sheer joy on the wife's face as she cradled her daughter. _

"_What should we name her?"She asked._

"_Selima. Bringer of comfort, peace."Damon responded._

-End Flashback-

That was nine years ago and ever since then I never once doubted my decision. I still don't I am incredibly proud of the way they raised her. I'll just keep watching over her. Just like I'll always watch the hearth of her home. If I didn't I wouldn't be Hestia, goddess of the home and hearth.


End file.
